HOUSE VOTES ON NEGOTIATIONS: The House voted by voice Tuesday evening to begin conference negotiations and name conferees for the Pentagon’s annual appropriations bill. “With the appointment of these conferees, the House and the Senate may begin to resolve the differences with the goal of passing H.R. 6157 before the end of the fiscal year,” said Rep. Tom Cole, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

But before negotiations can begin on the $675 billion bill, the Senate must name its own conferees, which could happen as soon as today. Once a final piece of legislation is hammered out it must pass votes in the House and Senate. The Pentagon could face another continuing resolution if Congress cannot get that done by the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.